New York Hall of Science, Connections. Photo courtesy of Jeff Goldberg,
Esto - Polshek Partnership Architects.

September 1, 2010 - September is back to school season for New Yorkers of all ages, but this fall trade in your textbooks for tap shoes and your PCs for paint brushes at cultural organizations across the five boroughs. Cultural institutions of all disciplines offer dynamic courses for individuals and the whole family. The Department of Cultural Affairs has compiled a list of creative courses in a borough near you.

Visit www.nyc.gov/nyculture for a complete listing of events taking place this September.

The Jacques Marchais Museum of Tibetan Art | Meditation and Tai Chi Classes
Saturdays beginning September 4
Enjoy Tai Chi and Mediation classes at the Jacques Marchais Museum on Saturdays. Meditation classes taught by Ven Thupten Phuntsok take place Saturday mornings from 11:30-12:30pm; Tai Chi classes led by Bob Murphy take place Saturday afternoons from 4pm-5pm. $12 per class.
338 Lighthouse Avenue, Staten Island. Contact 718-987-3500 or visit www.tibetanmuseum.org for more information.

Mark Morris Dance Center | Adult Dance Classes
Through November 6
Adult dance classes in ballet, modern dance, Afro-Caribbean, belly dancing, Pilates, West African and yoga take place weekly at Mark Morris Dance Group. Advanced ballet is taught daily from 10am to 12pm by Wallie Wolfgruber and Kelly Slough. $13 for a single class.
3 Lafayette Ave, Brooklyn. Call 718-624-8400 or visit http://markmorrisdancegroup.org/the_school/adults/class_schedulesfor more information.

Flamenco Latino | Basic Beginner Flamenco
Mondays through September 2011, 6pm-7pm
Discover flamenco at Flamenco Latino in Midtown Manhattan. Aurora Reyes presents a new Basic Beginner Flamenco class. Wear comfortable clothes and shoes with a hard sole. For women, pumps are preferred.
244W 54th St., 4th Fl., Manhattan. Contact 212-399-8519 or visit www.flamencolatino.com for more information.

The Noguchi Museum | Open Studio with Clay
Sunday, September 5
Add art-making to your family's museum experience. Open Studio participants receive an exploration worksheet to guide their gallery experience and are invited to the Museum’s Education Room to participate in hands-on art-making facilitated by an experienced museum educator. No registration is required for this program.
9-01 33rd Road (at Vernon Boulevard), Long Island City. Call 718-204-7088 or visit www.noguchi.org for more information.

Staten Island Museum | Free Ecology Walk
September 12, 2010, 8am
Enjoy the beauty and ecology of Staten Island. Meet at the Staten Island Museum Visitor Center parking lot at the end of Hyland Blvd for this free walk offered by the Nature Section. Wear comfortable shoes and bring binoculars if possible. To register, call 718-483-7105.
75 Stuyvesant Place, Staten Island. Call 718-727-1135 or visit www.statenislandmuseum.org for more information.

The Bartow-Pell Mansion Museum | High Time for Low Tea
Saturday, September 25, 3pm
Enjoy a Victorian low tea in Bartow Pell Mansion’s Orangerie, served by docents in period dress. Learn about low versus high tea, tea history and etiquette, all while delighting in delicious traditional, tea-time treats. Appropriate for ages 10 and up. Registration required. Cost $20 per person, members $15.
895 Shore Road, Pelham Bay Park, Bronx. Contact 718-885-1461 or visit www.bartowpellmansionmuseum.org for more information.

Bronx Museum of the Arts | Family Affair: VIVA LA VIDA!
Saturday, September 25, 1pm to 4pm
An afternoon of fun, hands-on activities for children and families in commemoration of the Mexican Revolution’s Centennial with special tours of the Paul Strand exhibition. Bronx Museum North Wing, 2nd Floor.
1040 Grand Concourse at 165th Street Bronx. Call 718-681-6000 or visit www.bronxmuseum.org for more information.

New York Hall of Science | Maker Faire
September 25 and 26
A two-day family-friendly event that celebrates the Do-It-Yourself (DIY) mindset. Featuring more than 300 makers, including rockets and robots, DIY science and technology, arts and crafts, bicycles, electronics, artisan foods, urban farming, sustainable living, woodworking, circuit boards, alternative energy vehicles, fire arts, live music, art cars, Tesla coils, Arduino and kits, and so much more. Tickets start at $20.
47-01 111th Street, Queens. Call 718-699-0005 or visit http://www.nysci.org for more information.